Some vehicles such as station wagons, sport utility vehicles (SUV), vans, pickup trucks, flat-bed trucks, dump trucks, and the like, as well as certain kinds of trailers and wagons, have an access gate which is hinged at the bottom and opens to access a cargo area. Typically this door is located at the rear of the vehicle or trailer and is generally referred to as a tailgate.
In an effort to allow for easier access to the cargo area through an opened tailgate, steps or ladders may be used. Carrying extra steps or ladders in the vehicle takes away from the available cargo space of the cargo area. Vehicle step systems have been used, however, the step systems may not have been optimally located on the vehicle, may have been overly cumbersome in operation, may have caused rattles and other NVH concerns, may not have provided adequate support for the user, and loose cargo and debris may cause issues with the opening or closing of the step systems.
The above problem(s) and other problems are addressed by this disclosure as summarized below.